Oarlock extension



`Ian. 18, 1949. M. W. AREAUx 2,459,355

OARLOCK EXTENS ION Filed Decl 5, 1946 @im Af Patented Jan. 18, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,459,355 OARLOCK EXTENSIGN Max W. Areaux, Paw Paw, Mich.

Application December 5, 1946, Serial No. 714,333

10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in an oarlock extension.

The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a device which may be easily carried and installed by fishermen or sportsmen for elevating the oars of rowboats so that the oars may be operated without bumping the knees of the rower.

Second, to provide an oarlock extension for elevating the oars above the thwarts of a rowboat, which extensions may be inexpensively manufactured.

Third, to provide an extension for raising the oars above the thwarts of a boat which may be conveniently locked to the oars or to the thwart of the boat to prevent loss of the extension in the water.

Other objects and advantages pertaining to the details and economies of this invention will be apparent from the following description and claims.

The drawings, of which there is one sheet, illustrate two practical forms of my rowing aid.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view partially in vertical cross section of one form of my rowing aid in operative `position between the oar and thwart of a rowboat.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a pair of the extensions illustrated in Fig. 1 hooked together for convenient carrying as in the tackle box of a sherman.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a modied form of my device.

My rowing aid is designed particularly for the use of fishermen and Sportsmen who are in the habit of renting boats from public boat liveries. It is a general characteristic of public boats that the boats are constructed with a minimum of material resulting in the thwarts and oarlocks being positioned no further from the bottom of the boat than is absolutely necessary to provide a boat which will oat. As a result iishermen renting these boats nd that the oars are constantly bumping against their knees and that extended rowing of the boats as while troll shing is very uncomfortable. My rowing aid consists of a pair of extensions which will t into the oarlock sockets of a boat and support the oarlocks and oars in an elevated position above the sides of the boat. With this aid the rower is able to assume a more natural and comfortable position in theboat and still operate the oars without constantly bumping his knees.

In the drawings, the reference numeral I indicates the side or thwart of a boat which is pro- 2 vided with an oarlock socket 2 secured to the thwart by means of the socket plates 3. My rowing aid which normally will be purchased and used in pairs is indicated at 4 and consists of a generally cylindrical body portion defining a cylindrical recess 5 in one end thereof and having a stud portion 6 formed on the opposite end thereof coaxial with the recess 5. The stud 6 is of the same general dimension as the studs `on standard oarlocks so as to t easily and rotatably within the socket members 2 of most rowboats. The lower end of the stud is attened and apertured as at 'I.

The upper end of the body of the rowing aid is provided with a pair of ears 8 which dene apertures 9 arranged to engage the spring clips l0 secured to the ends of a coupling chain or cable Il. The entire rowing aid with the exception of the spring clips and chain is conveniently and inexpensively formed as by casting a number of the devices in a single mold and tumbling the castings to remove burrs and rough edges.

The recess 5 is of such a length and diameter as to freely and rotatably receive the stud por- 5' tion I2 of a standard oarlock I3, the particular oarlock illustrated being provided with horns I4 supporting a pin l5 extending through the center of the oar I6.

When in use the stud of the rowing aid is positioned in the socket of the boat and one end of the chain II passed between the horns of the oarlock and snapped on one of the ears 8 as illustrated to connect the aid to the oar and prevent the loss of the rowing aid should it stick to the oarlock when the oar is removed from the thwart of the boat. For carrying a pair of the rowing aids `the stud of one aid may be positioned in the recess of the other aid and the chain of one aid clipped to the apertured stud of the other to hold the two together as illustrated in Fig. 2` In this position the rowing aids are conventionally held together and may be easily carried in the tackle box of a fisherman.

A modified form of my rowing aid is illustrated in Fig. 3 and consists of a body 4A dening a recess 5A and having a stud 6A formed on the opposite end thereof from the recess. The body 4A is not provided with ears as in the rst form of my rowing aid but the apertured lower end 'IA of the stud is provided with a lock chain IIA having a cross link I'I secured to the bottom thereof. This form of rowing aid is secured in the socket of the boat by tilting the arms of the cross link I1 into vertical position and dropping them through the socket ahead of the stud 6A so that the arms of the cross link will hang in a generally horizontal position on the underside of the socket and prevent accidental displacement of the rowing aid from the socket. Thus this form of rowing aid is secured to the thwart of the boat rather than to the oars as in the first form illustrated. Otherwise both forms of my rowing aid operate in the same manner to elevate the oars ofrgthe boat above the knees of the user.

I have found that afrowing: aid `having Vva `body between 4 and inches long is adequate to elevate the oars above the knees of the user when used in the general style of boats found in publicy I have described two forms-.ofmy

boat liveries. rowing aid which are both inexpensive and highly practical so that others may reproducefth'ersame individually :tocarlocks in another position.

without further disclosure.l y n v Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

.f1.fA rowing aid in .combination :with :a ,boat havingfan oar, '.oarlo ck and o'arlocl: :fsocketf compid-sing fan-extension.' member 1 having fa fbo'dfy: portion defining fan auxiliary socket adapted to rotatably rreceive i the :stud '.of said.oarlock,^an1faux ilianyi-s-tud on zsa-id .bodyfportion and at the iopposite end nthereof from fsaidfauziiiliary fsocket adapted torb'e rotatably received ine-said oarloc'k socket,v.ears1formedvonfthefsides of S aid=bodypor 4tionanddefini-ng apertures, andfarchain--fadapted to be passed between :the thorns :of :said' oa'rlock andy `havingspring 1 clipsvon :the rSends thereo`f zen--v gageable in said apertures, the endsoissaidifauxiliary-studdening-another aperture. i

:2. "rowing aid in combination with la boat havinganoar, oarlock-l andzoar'lock socketnjcomf prising's'an-.extension member having abodyiportion defining fan I'auxiliary socket 'adapted Eto rotatablyfreceivethestud offs'aid voarloclwa'n; auxiliary :stud on :said vbody -portion and -at the iop-r .posite'cnd lthereof Afrom :said auxiliary socket adaptedA gto Ibe' .rotatably received in said oariocksocket-ears formedy .cnthe sides of -saidlo"o`dy portion :and-Qdening '.apertures, and fa chain adapted .-tob'e passed betw'eenwthe horns `of said oarlock and :hav-ing :hooks -on :the vends thereof engageablerin :said apertures.

3. A rowing aid in combination fwith'a rboat having anv can-.oarlc'ck .andoarlocksocket rcomprising anextension member :having-'a bodyzportion Vdefining an auniliaryfsocket adapte'dto frotatably receive :the 'fstudhof said-:carloclg an yauxiliary :stud Aon said Lbody portion =and1at the-'fopposite en'dl thereof from said'fauxiiiary A*socket adapted to =be :rotatably v:.re'ceivedfin `:said oariock socket, an-ear-iformed on 'the side of I-se.idrb'ody portion and defining an .'aperture, and aischain having yspring clips on reach rend thereof, :sa-id clips `being irenrcvably :secured Vin fsaid apertures with :said chain passing .between fthe 'horns of saidI oarlockiforretainingsa-id extension member on' said .oarloc'k 4. A rowing aid comprising a=pair-ofextension members .fha-ving 4b ody :portionsf defining rcylindrical recesses :adapt-ed `1tofr'eceive 'the studs l of V"oarlocks, auxiliary studs formed onr'the .other ends ef fsaicbbod'y portions from -said recesses and adapted l.to nestingly nt 'in said irecess'esmnd iin the :sockets of ra frowboat, said auxiliary studs denning apertures iat the lower `ends th'ere'o'f, apertuiedears formed onwthe sidesffsaidlbody portions, "and #a pair of chain imembers :having spring 1 clips Ton "each end @thereof vadapte'd-to be engaged through Ssaid apertures 'in. said earsf and said anx-iliaryrstuds toihoidzsaidibody :portionsft'm adapted to nestingly fit in said recesses and in the sockets of a rowboat,ysai d auxlilniary studs de'- ture'd ears formed' on th'e` sidesofisai'dbody portions, and a pair of chain members having hooks 'on each end thereof adapted to be engaged through said apertures in said ears and said auxiliary studs to hold said body portions together Lin one "position and to hold said body portions 6. A rowing aid comprising a body member defining a central recess in one Aend thereof adapted to receive the; stud of an carlock, an

auxiliaryfstud :formed i onrthef other rend offfsaid body portion and coaxial with saidrecess, thefend of saidstudxbeinginattenedianddeningfansaperture;a:iockhainfhavingfoneend-csecured :in said aperture, aand fa` :cross 2link. having fopbositelyfex? .tending farms f secured Ito :the other end `loiisaid '7. A rowing aid comprisingwapboliy 'member "dning xareentral recess V1in fone .end;.,,t hereof adapted rta-treceive 'the stud of ian-oarlook, an auxiliary V:stud fformed. ontthesfother nnd-.of-said bodyportion and coaxial with said recess, theend of "fsaid :stud idefiningffian aperture, ,faq-lock, A,chain having onefend secured` in ,-said eaperture,.1'anche ycross i link Shaving =1 oppositeiy extending @arms e;

8. A rowing aid comprising a bodyffmember -dening fa acentra.l=reoesssadapted.fgto .receive the :stud gportion of'anzcarlock, ansaux yf-.stud Vformedonitheoppositeenxtof esaidfbody'ffrom Asa-id recess and adapted to t within the oar-look socket otra boat,=the .lower end ot-said-ffauxiliary stud -beingflattenedfand-defining an aperture, and a :securing .chain .fconnected .to ifsaid kb`ody,` 1Said -studbeingaxiallyaligned withzsaidrecessf.' l y f 9. :Airowingcaicomprisingfafbodyfmember-def ning a central recess adaptedwtofreceiyethe stud portion tof Tan oarlook, and an `enlztiliaify,stud formed Yon "the .-oppositeffend 'of fsaid fbodyfroin said. reeessfgand'adapted tot-within th ioarlock socket of a boat, the lower end of said-auxiliary stud beingfflattenedfand dening `an .-.aperture, said stud being axially aligned Withsaidrrecess. f 10..,A-.-rowing aid geomprisingawbody member defining@ central rrecesswadapted .torrec'eive the stud portionof fan .oarlock,f.and: an; auxiliary-stud formed y ion -thefopposite end of said Qbodywffrom saidfrecess and 'adapted-.gto :fit .fwithinfthe foarleok socket of '-af boat, said stud bfeinggaxiallyzxaligned Witirnsaidrecessrrw 1.

f .A a-MAxwnnnAuX.,

-REFEBENCESJCITED The vfollowing references are of ifi-coord iin/*the n Number .f Y .nate 

